Today, 26 years ago, on January 26, 1999 (Lunar Calendar, December 10, 1998), Crown Prince Abdullah inherited the throne. On January 26, 1999, King Hussein of Jordan officially issued a royal decree announcing the abolition of the royal status of his brother, Prince Hassan, and appointing his eldest son, Prince Abdullah bin Hussein, as the new Crown Prince. Abdullah is now 37 years old. For many years he has served as commander of the special forces in charge of the royal family and national security. On February 7, 1999, King Hussein died from illness and was 63 years old. The Jordanian Cabinet held a meeting announcing that Prince Abdullah was officially the king.